Letter: West Hartford Needs to Focus on Education, Not Ideology
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To the Editor:
On July 21st, I was endorsed by the West Hartford Republican Town Committee as their candidate for Board of Education and feel deeply grateful for this opportunity. I decided to run for Board of Education because after years of advocacy for my own children within our public education system, I continue to be stuck with the status quo. It feels impossible to address real priorities or issues in the school system. It’s time for this to change.
The bitter response to a moderate and diverse Republican Town Council slate made it clear that West Hartford’s loudest progressive voices too are focused on the wrong things. Our children deserve better.
If you read the message boards and op-ed pages, it seems that the only issues that matter to those on the other side of the aisle are beating Donald Trump, LGBTQ+ issues, and pushing controversial DEI programs in schools. The latter was a constant theme of my many discussions with school leadership. All the while, it seemed that the basic block and tackling of running an effective school system was secondary to the partisan, ideological agenda.
It’s been disappointing, admittedly. My family chose to move to West Hartford because of the exceptional reputation of the school district. West Hartford student scores are still below state targets in English, math, and science, the three areas tracked by the state. Student scores still haven’t recovered from the COVID shutdowns even as budgets and taxes have gone up significantly.
Nonetheless, when the Board of Education passed their new budget, teacher positions were cut, even as the overall budget rose. The roughly half of a million dollars West Hartford spends on the DEI department remained untouched.
West Hartford’s focus needs to be on our students. Even though it’s hard, costly, and challenging, change is needed to maximize student potential and advance academic excellence in our district.
As a parent of a child who receives special education services, I’m concerned about how the district will manage the influx of students requiring special education and related services, the limited human and financial resources to service the nearly 30% of district students with IEP and 504 plans, and rising out-of-district placement numbers. West Hartford must look into program expansion in town.
Further, West Hartford needs to think creatively about staffing and resource allocation. The growing tax burden of our school budget demands it. The two current Republican Board of Education members, Dr. Gayle Harris and Mr. Ethan Goldman, have pushed for both a finance and curriculum committee that could bring fresh ideas and oversight to our education system. Unlike many other districts in the state, West Hartford still has neither.
As a parent with four children in three different West Hartford public schools, I have been frustrated by the lack of transparency when it comes to obtaining curricula and supporting resources. Parents have a right to know what their children are being taught in the classroom, at the very least, to be able to support that education at home.
As I have seen firsthand, West Hartford has dedicated parents who are invested in their children’s education and future. They fight hard to make education the priority.
I would know. I have been fighting for education, not ideology, for years as a concerned parent. Vote for Miriam Bleich on November 4th, and we can fight to prioritize education in West Hartford schools together.
Miriam Bleich
West Hartford
Ms. Bleich, I’m finding it difficult to reconcile the title of your op-ed as “West Hartford Needs To Focus On Education, Not Ideology”, yet the WHGOP last week posted a definitive statement saying (in reference to Yale and CCMC recently ending gender affirming care) “CCMC and Yale New Haven health have some of the greatest medical minds on staff, and we can be confident that these actions were not taken without substantial research and deliberation. As elected Republican officials, making sure our children aren’t being indoctrinated with this unscientific, politicized gender ideology in schools, and instead ensuring they have access to proper mental health care, will be a top priority of the West Hartford GOP”. Two questions for your consideration: 1.) do you sincerely believe that the greatest medical minds on the staff at CCMC and Yale really came to their conclusions because of a science-driven change of heart, or as some say because of unprecedented federal government pressure to comply with the ideological agenda of the current federal administration and 2.) do you feel that there is a widespread pattern of indoctrination of politicized gender ideology happening in WH schools that (of all things) should be considered a top priority to tackle as a BOE member? Certain inquiring minds would like to know.
I believe the West Hartford school system ranks in the top 3% nationally. I doubt that statistic is based on the ability of a student to know who Divine was, or all of the lyrics to “YMCA”. Instead of being concerned that a nonbinary individual is under your bed (instead of a red) you should be more concerned that a dismantling of the DOE will potentially harm the funding of your child’s special educational needs.
The downturn of the WH public education system is mission creep. When you try to be everything to everyone, paradoxically, you end up being nothing to no one.
On the DEI issue, it is important to understand that West Hartford’s demographics show numerous race, ethnic and religious backgrounds. This is a strength of the community not a weakness. In preparation for life beyond K-12, West Hartford’s diversity provides young people with a head start on creating relationships with all types of people regardless of race, ethnicity and religion. The private and public sectors benefit from young people who are able to work and respect others to foster a society which builds up not tears down each other. The stark divisions we experience today among people come from an unwillingness or inability to respect others from different backgrounds. West Hartford leads by example honoring its diversity which is why people choose to live here.
WH Schools are consistently ranked among the best in the state – and the nation – thanks to Democratic leadership.
For ideology, check this recent post from the WH GOP’s Official X Account: “Democrats, including the pro-human trafficking, pro-sexual assault, pro-criminal WeHaDEMS, are furious at the news.”
What books are you planning on burning, Miriam?
This is exactly the kind of anti-Semitic rhetoric that only perpetuates hate. Shame on you for commenting in such a grotesque manner.
Shame on you, Kristyn for responding in such an obvious anti-Asian, or perhaps misogynistic manner depending on what “She” represents as a surname.
Or maybe you’re an anti-Semite Semite, seeing that “David” is a Judaic name from the Old Testament.
See how that works? You’re just as ridiculous as the people who see nazism in the phrase “Good genes” in a jeans commercial.